Tied Together With a Smile
by fanfictioner124
Summary: Just a short drabble about Lisbon's birthday :)


** watch?v=bxMNBDv_Zls**

**Inspired by a song of the same name. Thank you FoyetesOnlyDeal for the inspiration!**

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Tied together with a smile.

That's what it felt like he was sometimes, this man full of pain and grief and juvenile mischief, depth and frivolity and fun and games-all tied together by one, amazing smile. At least, that's what Teresa Lisbon was thinking as Patrick Jane, consultant with the CBI, dashed out of her office, calling "Come on, Lisbon!" behind his shoulder with that stupid, dazzling smile still on his lips. It had probably gotten him whatever he'd wanted since the age of three, Lisbon thought with disdain, grabbing her coat. She knew she'd given in to it more times than she could count-or cared to admit, for that matter.

"Jane, where are we going?" she asked wearily, sliding in next to him in the elevator. She didn't even try to temper her mood. He was a psychic, a behavioral genius. Let him decipher her attitude and draw up what conclusions he did.

"You'll see," he said, a silly smile upturning his lips. She rolled her eyes and pushed her way out of the elevator behind him as the door binged open at the basement level.

"And voila!" he exclaimed, prancing around the garage floor like a fairy in a forest. She had to admit, he had the poise and grace for it-but she was in no mood to compliment the lightness of his step as she gazed around at what he had done.

"Jane-!" she cried, starting forward with her eyes drawn upwards. Above them hung an extravagant banner with the words 'HAPPY BIRTHDAY, LISBON!' emblazoned across it in pink, glittering letters, with matching streamers adorning the edges. It was placed right above the entrance to the parking garage, so there was no mistaking that every single person in the CBI today would see it.

"Jane," she groaned, completely deflated. She wasn't even going to try and fix this. She just couldn't believe he'd had the guts to do it.

"Don't you like it?" he asked, flashing that blinding smile of his. Seriously, she didn't even know which was brighter-his megawatt smile or the stars catching the sunlight on the streamers hanging from the ceiling. Frankly, she didn't even care.

"I had it made especially for you, Lisbon."

She gave him a glare that could have turned the sun into an ice cube. But, lo and behold, it could do nothing to the dim ridiculous grin plastered across his face, so she gave up and started towards the elevator.

"Aren't you even going to admire the streamers?" Jane called after her as he rushed to her side.

"No," she said forcefully, punching the button to the second floor.

"Well why not? I think they're exquisite," he said, making it in just in time as the doors to the elevator closed. She half-wished they'd closed on him.

"Jane, you know I hate birthdays," she whined, not even caring that she sounded like her little seven-year-old self getting mad at her father for yet again buying her a pink birthday cake instead of the camouflage one she'd always wanted. Heck, Jane acted like a ten-year-old all the time! It was her turn to pout. Maybe even throw a few punches while she was at it.

"I know, Lisbon! I'm curing you of it!"

Lisbon shook her head as she exited onto the second floor, ignoring the passersby showering her with comments.

"Hey, congratulations, Teresa! Made it through another year!"

"Lisbon, oh my gosh, I didn't know it was your birthday?!"

"Have a good one, Teresa!"

"You see? Everyone is sending their positive energy towards you," Jane explained. "Your body can't help but respond positively back. Pretty soon, you'll be able to trick your mind into thinking that your birthday is the most wonderful day of the year!"

"Whatever, Jane," Lisbon dismissed, not bothering to look at him and that self-satisfied smirk that was no doubt sitting on his face this very moment.

"Morning, boss," Cho said as they passed by the kitchen.

"Hey, happy birthday!" Rigsby exclaimed.

"I swear, if I hear another person say-"

"Happy birthday, boss!" Van Pelt said cheerily as she met her in the hallway.

This time, Lisbon did catch the smirk on Jane's face out of the corner of her eye as she slowed to a halt in front of Van Pelt.

"Hey, we all pitched in on a surprise for you in your office. You should go check it out," Van Pelt said sweetly. Lisbon looked at her warily.

"Thanks . . ." she said, eyeing Jane as she proceeded to her office.

"Oh, wait, not yet," Jane said, barring the entrance. "Cho! Rigsby!" he called, waving them over. The team dropped what they were doing and gathered by the office.

Lisbon was not liking the look of this. She approached the door hesitantly, watching everyone's expectant expressions . . . then Jane threw open the door with a flourish.

"SURPRISE!"

On her desk sat a cake with the CBI insignia frosted on and a dozen or so candles sputtering with sparks-but it wasn't the candles that caught her attention. It was the camouflage design.

"How-wha . . ." she trailed off, gazing down at it as Jane came to her side.

"I figured you wouldn't like pink," he said, "So I found something a bit more your style."

Lisbon looked over at him, speechless, as everyone filed in behind them.

"Happy birthday, Teresa," Jane whispered, stepping back to join the team.

"But how did you . . . ?"

He gave her a wink, then joined in on a round of happy birthday, breaking into a grin that practically drowned everything else out in its brilliance.

That darned smile. One day, Lisbon was going to learn how to resist it. But, for the moment, she couldn't help but let a smile of her own slip onto her lips as she sat there with the team singing their hearts out in front of her and a camouflage cake waiting on her desk and that blasted grin on Jane's face, all wrapped up like a birthday present.

What tied it all together was that smile.


End file.
